Chiara
CHIARA
I can’t shake his voice out of my head. His words, that fucking question—it’s all like a poison spreading through me, tainting everything I touch, everything I think.
I should be at class, pretending that everything’s normal, but I’m not. I’m holed up in my room, the curtains drawn tight against the world, as if that could keep the chaos at bay.
The idea of sitting in class, pretending like everything is normal, like I’m not drowning in this fucked-up situation, feels impossible. So I stayed home, curled up under the covers, trying to sort out the chaos in my head.
His words keep replaying in my mind: Become an outsider’s pet … or be my Queen .
The choices he laid out so clearly, like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to say, like I should just accept it.
And the worst part? I can’t stop thinking about how much I want to.
I turn onto my side, curling up, trying to make sense of this twisted mess in my head. I should be angry, and part of me is. But it’s not the kind of anger that pushes someone away. It’s the kind that pulls them in, that makes you want to dive deeper, even though you know it’s dangerous. Even though you know it’s wrong.
Leo’s been texting me all morning, wondering where I was. He’s worried, probably thinks I’m sick or something. Sweet Leo. Kind, gentle Leo. The kind of guy I always thought I should be with.
But as much as I care about him, as much as I appreciate how safe he makes me feel, there’s something missing with guys like him. Something Giovanni has that Leo never could.
Danger.
All I can think about is the danger, the thrill, the fire that Giovanni offers. The way his touch burns like a brand, the way his words cut through the bullshit, laying everything bare.
It’s fucking terrifying how much I want him. How much I want the chaos he brings.
I shove the covers off and sit up, running a hand through my hair in frustration. I can’t keep lying here, drowning in this confusion. I need to do something. Anything to clear my head.
I grab my phone off the nightstand and open Leo’s texts.
Leo: Hey, you okay? Haven’t seen you all morning.
Leo: Do you want me to bring you anything? Soup? Coffee?
Leo: I’m starting to get worried. Please text me back.
I stare at the screen, guilt gnawing at me. Leo doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve to be caught up in whatever the hell this is between me and Giovanni. But the thought of seeing him right now, of pretending like everything’s fine, makes me feel sick.
I type out a quick response.
: I’m okay. Just need some time. I’ll see you later.
It’s a lie, but it’s the best I can do right now. I toss my phone aside and head to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, trying to shake off the haze that’s settled over me since that night .
But no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about Giovanni. About what he said. About what he offered.
Be my Queen.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, trying to see myself the way he does. Could I really be that girl? The one who stands beside him, who embraces the darkness he thrives in? It’s insane, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ve never felt more alive than when I’m with him. When he pushes me.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, pressing the heels of my hands against my eyes. I can’t think straight. Every thought, every emotion is tangled up in a knot that I can’t unravel.
Giovanni makes me feel alive in a way that nothing else does. He’s a fucking storm, and I’m caught right in the middle of it, unable to get out, even if I wanted to. The danger he brings, the way he pushes me to my limits, it’s like a drug, and I’m fucking addicted.
I don’t want safe. I want the thrill of knowing I’m playing with fire, even if it means getting burned.
I want Giovanni fucking Basile.
A knock at the door pulls me out of my spiral, and my heart skips a beat. I know who it is before I even answer. There’s only one person who would show up unannounced like this, who would push his way into my life even when I’m not ready.
“,” Giovanni’s voice comes through the door, low and commanding. “Open up.”
I hesitate, my hand frozen on the doorknob. Part of me wants to ignore him, to pretend like I’m not here, but I know that’s useless. He’ll just keep knocking, keep pushing until I give in.
With a sigh, I unlock the door and pull it open. He’s standing there, leaning against the frame with that cocky smirk on his face. He looks me up and down, his eyes darkening as they take in my disheveled appearance .
“Not going to class today, I see,” he says, his tone teasing, but there’s something else there too. Something I can’t quite place.
“What do you want, Giovanni?” I ask, trying to sound annoyed, but it comes out weaker than I intended.
He doesn’t answer right away, just steps into the room, closing the door behind him. The air between us is thick with tension, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as he closes the distance between us.
“You know what I want and you’re avoiding me,” he says, his voice low as he reaches out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. The touch is gentle, almost tender, and it throws me off balance.
“I needed time to think,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
He nods, his eyes searching mine. “And what did you come up with?”
I bite my lip, trying to find the words, but they won’t come. All I can think about is the way he looked at me that night, the way his touch set me on fire, and how fucking lost I felt when it was all over.
“I don’t know,” I finally say, my voice cracking with frustration. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, Gio. Everything’s so fucked up.”
His hand moves to my chin as he forces me to look at him. “You can keep fighting this, but you’ll never be satisfied with anyone else. You’ll always come back to me.”
I swallow hard, my throat tight with the truth of his words. He’s right, and it fucking kills me to admit it, even to myself.
“Why can’t you just leave me alone?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. It’s a pathetic question, and I know it, but I can’t help the desperation that seeps into my tone.
“Because you don’t want me to,” he says simply, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You might hate it, you might hate me, but you can’t deny that you need this as much as I do.”
“I don’t hate you,” I admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “I just hate what you do to me.”
His grip on my chin tightens just a fraction, his eyes searching mine. “What do I do to you, Kitten?” he asks, his voice soft but laced with that edge of danger that always makes my heart race. “Tell me.”
I bite my lip, trying to find the words, trying to make sense of the mess of emotions swirling inside me.
“You make me feel … out of control,” I finally say, my voice shaking. “You make me feel like I’m losing myself, like nothing else matters when you’re around.”
“Good,” he murmurs, his thumb brushing over my lower lip, sending a shiver down my spine. “Because that’s how I feel when I’m with you.”
I close my eyes, trying to block out the intensity of his gaze, but it’s useless. His presence is overwhelming, consuming, and no matter how much I want to resist, I can’t.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I whisper, the admission tearing at me. “I don’t know how to be with someone like you.”
“You don’t have to know,” he says, his tone softer now, almost gentle. “You just have to let go.”
“Let go?” I repeat, my eyes snapping open to meet his again. “Of what?”
“Of everything you think you’re supposed to want,” he says, his voice low and coaxing. “Of everyone telling you who you’re supposed to be. Just be with me, . Let me show you what it’s like to stop fighting.”
His words are tempting, so fucking tempting. I want to believe that if I just let go, if I just give in, everything will somehow make sense. But there’s still that part of me that’s screaming to hold on, to fight, to not lose myself in him.
“It’s not that simple.”
“It is that simple, babygirl. You just have to be honest with yourself. What do you want? Who do you want?”
His words hang in the air, heavy and loaded with meaning. I can feel the weight of them pressing down on me, forcing me to confront the truth that I’ve been trying to avoid.
“I want you,” I finally admit, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “But I’m scared, Gio. I’m fucking terrified.”
He lets out a low chuckle, his hand sliding down to rest on my hip. “Good. You should be. But that doesn’t mean you should run from it.”
I look up at him, my heart pounding in my chest as I search his eyes for any sign of hesitation, but there’s none. He’s all in, and that scares the shit out of me.
But at the same time, it’s exactly what I want—someone who’s not afraid to take risks, to push boundaries, to make me feel alive.
Giovanni’s grip tightens on my hip, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch.
“You’re the only one who can match me fire for fire, Kitten. There’s no one else I’d rather have at my side than you,” he says. “Trust yourself to make the right decision.”
Trust myself.
“Okay,” I say, the word slipping out before I can second-guess it. “Okay, I will.”
A slow, satisfied grin spreads across his face, and he leans in, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispers, “That’s my girl.”
The words send a shiver down my spine, and I feel a surge of something dark and exhilarating flood through me. This is what I want. Him. Us. The danger, the thrill, the unknown.
I pull back slightly, my voice hesitant as I ask, “What about Leo? ”
Giovanni’s expression darkens, and I can see the flash of anger in his eyes. “What about him?”
“He doesn’t deserve this,” I say, my voice trembling as I look down. “He doesn’t deserve to be hurt.”
He takes a deep breath, his hand moving to grip the back of my neck as he forces me to look at him.
“Stop overthinking this, . You know what you want. You know what you need. And it’s not Leo.”
The truth of his words hits me like a punch to the gut, and I feel the last of my resistance crumble away. He’s right. I’ve been holding onto something that isn’t real, that isn’t what I truly want.
And now, it’s time to let it go.
I close my eyes, taking a deep breath as I finally allow myself to accept the truth. “I hate the fact that you’re right.”
When I open my eyes, Giovanni is watching me with a look that’s equal parts triumph and possessiveness. “I know you do.”
He pulls me closer, his lips brushing against mine in a kiss that feels like a claim. It’s a desperate kiss, full of all the fear and frustration and longing that’s been building up inside me for so long. And he doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t pull away. He kisses me back with just as much intensity, his hands tangling in my hair, pulling me closer.
I lose myself in him, and for the first time in a long time, I stop thinking. I stop worrying about what’s right or wrong, about what this means, about the future. All that matters is this moment, this connection between us that I can’t deny any longer.
This is where I’m supposed to be. This is who I’m supposed to be with.
He pulls my hair back and breaks off the kiss. Grinning, he bites his bottom lip as he peers down at me. His other hand moves towards my neck, and he caresses my pulse, sending a thrill shooting through me .
“I could break you so easily,” he murmurs, tightening his grip on my throat, “but I’d rather keep you.”
“I think I could break you just as easily,” I say confidently, and he chuckles.
“You own me, , and I’m more than happy to let you. For now, I’m going to give you some space for the rest of the day, but from tomorrow I won’t be holding back,” he says, the tone of his voice sending a shiver down my spine. “When I leave, I want you to call Volkov and cut ties with him. I don’t fucking share.”
I swallow deeply and nod, then he pulls my hair harder, making me gasp. “Am I clear, baby?”
“Y–yes,” I murmur, placing my hand on his chest. “I’m yours, Giovanni.”
He tilts his head back and sighs. “That feels so fucking good to hear,” he says with a smirk, then he leans in close and kisses my forehead. “See you tomorrow, Kitten.”
With a heavy sigh, watch him leave, grab my phone from the nightstand and scroll through my contacts until I find Leo’s name. My thumb hovers over the call button, my heart pounding in my chest. I know what I need to do, but the thought of actually doing it makes my stomach twist in knots.
I know what I want, and for the first time, I’m not going to let fear hold me back. I’m done running from the truth; I’m done pretending to be someone I’m not.
Men like Leo are comfort, the promise of a quiet life. Giovanni is fire, danger, and the thrill of the unknown.
La mia tempesta — for better or worse, I’ve chosen the storm.